HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Corbett has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to extend its May 24 deadline for the state to request a major disaster declaration for damage from recent severe storms.
Heavy rain, flooding, high winds and multiple tornadoes have battered much of the state since April. An extension would give local and state officials needed time to assess infrastructure damage that currently cannot be seen due to high water and inaccessible roadways, particularly in rural areas.
“Repeated heavy rains here and in neighboring states have left rivers and streams running higher and faster than normal,” Corbett said.
“In addition, with each storm local officials are busy with critical life safety and property preservation efforts that can delay their opportunity to thoroughly assess damages in a timely manner.”
If the request for an extension until June 23 is approved, teams made up of local, state and federal emergency management professionals will conduct preliminary damage assessments. These assessments – along with other factors – are considered in determining whether a disaster is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and the affected local governments, and that federal assistance is necessary.
Earlier this week, Corbett announced the U.S. Small Business Administration approved his request to declare Cumberland County a disaster area after severe flooding April 16. The SBA declaration makes low-interest loans available to homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits in Cumberland, Adams, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry and York counties affected by the event.
The governor must make a specific request for the extension because SBA and FEMA disaster assistance are separate federal programs, each with their own timelines, qualifying thresholds for disaster declarations and different types of assistance.